The Pittsburgh Steelers announced the signing of tight end Jaheim Bell to their offseason roster on Monday. The one-year contract is worth just over $1 million with no guarantees. Bell returns for a second stint after time on the team's 2025 practice squad.
Pittsburgh signed Jaheim Bell, a 2024 seventh-round pick by the New England Patriots out of Florida State, the team announced on May 4. The deal adds depth to the tight end room ahead of OTAs, which begin less than two weeks from the signing date. Bell measures 6-2, 241 pounds, with a 4.61 40-yard dash from the NFL Combine. He brings versatility as an H-back who can line up in the backfield or on the scrimmage line. In his rookie season, Bell appeared in 15 games for New England, catching two passes for 20 yards on 83 offensive snaps. He logged 176 special teams reps and recorded one tackle there. The Patriots released him before 2025 final roster cutdowns. Pittsburgh had previously added him on Dec. 31, 2024, for depth after tight end Darnell Washington's season-ending broken arm, though the Eagles signed him to a Reserve/Futures contract in January 2025 before releasing him in late April. Bell joins a young tight end group behind Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington. Other options include 2025 UDFA JJ Galbreath, 2026 UDFAs Chamon Metayer and Lake McRee, and fifth-round pick Riley Nowakowski, whom the team lists as a fullback. In college at South Carolina and Florida State, Bell totaled 95 receptions for 1,260 yards and nine touchdowns, plus 84 rushes for 303 yards and four scores, mostly in 2022 with the Gamecocks. He aims to secure a spot on the 53-man roster or practice squad.
